Klaas Veenhof and Jesper Eidem

      This co–author volume displays the history and society of Mesopotamia during the Old Assyrian period.
      Chapter 1 (by K.R. Veenhof) deals specifically with the Old Assyrian period, presenting the definition itself, the chronology, the sources, the history of the research and previous studies (thematically ordered), a short history (focusing also on the Anatolian scene), commercial treaties, Anatolian terminology about trade.
      Chapter 2 (by J. Eidem) focuses on the kingdome od Apum, located on the Old Assyrian route.
      Chapter 3 includes the indices.
      Urkesh is specifically dealt to on pp. 303–304, in a passage that for his specific information deserves to be quoted verbatim:
      “Recent excavations have made it certain that Urkiš is identical with Tell Mozān near modern Amouda [n. 94: reference to Buccellati and Kelly–Buccellati 1996]. The Mari texts document a king Terru, and that the town in this period was under some order of control from Ašnakkum. For the period of the Leilan texts it seems likely that the king of Urkiš was a certain Jaṣṣib–Hatnû. He is mentioned in two letters sent from Sangara, who quotes a message from Jaṣṣib–Hatnû: 'I have evacuated (my territory) to Urgina' (YTLR 143). In another letter it is reported that a messenger has gone to Jaṣṣib–Hatnû and the king of AšKakum [sic] to get help against Halu–rabi (YTLR 144) [...]. In spite of the forms the two towns are probably identical with Urkiš and Ašnakkum. A letter to Till–Abnû from Janṣi[b–. . . . ] (YTLR 33), but with no real clues to the writer's identity, may have issued from the king of Urkiš. Without further evidence a precise evaluation is precarious, and we cannot assign firm roles to many of the prominent figures associated with these towns. Significantly shipments are made by 'elders' from Amursakkum, Tehhi, and Urkiš, and the traditionally strong position of the local assembly in the latter town is well attested from the Mari evidence. The heterogenous local traditions are also evident in the case of Nawali, where the prestige of the Adad/Tessup cult gave its clerics special prominence”.

[M. De Pietri – November 2019]